Last Dance
by damonkeygirl
Summary: The team must deal with loss of one of their own after a botched attempt to take down an assassin. Character Death.
1. Ziva's POV

_It just sort of came to me…_

_And thanks to a review from rosie nicolson, i have changed the story a bit and placed it into POVs. One for Ziva, McGee, Gibbs, and Tony._

**Ziva's POV**

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Ziva drifted across the dance floor wearing a light blue satin dress. The music in the room was soft, the lighting dim. She approached her partner and friend Anthony DiNozzo. He stood holding two glasses of some sort of alcoholic beverage. He held one out to her, which she took graciously. "Do you think he will show?" She asked casually.

"Probably, his patterns are very predictable."

"But he has already killed his target, what makes you think he will show up here?"

"Protecting his image."

Ziva nodded and pretended to take a sip of the drink as she scanned the room. She noticed McGee holding a tray of drinks, in his cover of being a waiter. She didn't see Gibbs, but figured he was here somewhere.

McGee passed by them and nodded as they placed their still glasses on his tray.

Tony turned to Ziva. He held out his arm which she slipped hers through as the walked out onto the dance floor. Tony caught a glance of him first. "Eight o'clock." He whispered to Ziva.

She glanced over to her left and saw Li-Chang, the assassin who had killed a marine two days ago. They had found out he was linked to several other homicides yesterday. Today, they were going to take him down.

"Shall I have this dance?" Tony inquired of Ziva.

"Of course," she replied not taking her eyes off of Li-Chang. But her line of sight drifted away as several other couples started dancing as well. Tony spun her around slowly.

"Don't worry, you're not the only one watching." Tony said as he noticed her distraction. She rolled her eyes at him in reply.

What came next no one saw coming. There was the sound of three shots being fired off. Several people in the room screamed and then hit the deck. Ziva broke from Tony and turned in the direction of Li-Chang. He had a gun out and was pointing in their direction. She barely registered Tony shoving her aside as a shot was fried.

She heard the sound of a different gun being fired three times shortly afterwards. Ziva rolled over to check on Tony. "Tony!" She yelled noticing he was bleeding.

"Ah, Ziva! Do you have to yell?" Tony mumbled.

"You've been shot!"

"Yeah, in the shoulder." He clipped. "Oww," he muttered as he sat up.

"He's dead!" McGee hollered across the room.

"Good. Wh-" Ziva started.

"Gibbs!" McGee shouted as he ran over to his boss.

"McGee?" Tony called across the room, trying to get some information. He could see McGee, but not Gibbs.

McGee turned to Tony and locked eyes with him and slowly shook his head.

There were several agents (their backup) who at that moment rushed in guns held out.

"'Great timing." Tony said cynically.

* * *

Ziva watched Ducky arrive at the scene a few hours later. She watched as his attention was drawn to the two bodies lying on the ground about ten feet apart. He sighed as he kneeled down next to his friend. "Oh Jethro, I did wish we'd never have to meet like this."

* * *

Ziva heard a light thunk as she stood outside of Tony's hospital room. He was in the process of removing he IV when she walked in the room.

"I figured you might be wanting these," she said as she held up a bag with, presumably, his clothes in them.

"Thanks," He muttered as he snagged them, "you mind telling them that I'm-"

"Already did."

* * *

One Week Later

Ziva shivered at the frigid air. She was sitting next to her father who had turned up for the funeral even though he had not personally known Gibbs. She glanced down the row and took in the faces of those there. McGee was comforting Abby, as usual. Ducky on the other side, her hand in his. Maddie Tyler sat alone facing forward. Jackson Gibbs also sat alone, next to Mike Franks who had flown out of Mexico the moment he had heard. Fornell sat with his arm around his daughter. Col. Mann sat at the end of the row in silence.

Ziva turned back to the stage and waited for Tony to begin his speech.

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_Next POV is McGee,_

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	2. McGee's POV

**McGee's POV**

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McGee walked around the room keeping his eyes peeled for Li-Chang. His arm held up a tray with drinks on it, which always seemed to quickly disappear and fill with empty glasses. He noticed Gibbs making small talk with a redheaded woman as he passed.

He had just removed the empty glassed when he noticed Li-Chang. He was near the center of the floor just standing there, about ten feet from Gibbs, who had noticed and was peering over at him.

McGee took the empty tray and walked over to where Ziva and Tony were mingling. He nodded at them, their signal, as they placed their empty glasses on the tray. He walk back towards the bar and set it down.

As he returned to the floor he heard three gunshots go off. His eyes immediately snapped to Li-Chang, who was standing with his gun out pointing at where Gibbs and the redhead had stood.

McGee pulled out his gun in an instant and charged at Li-Chang. "Get Down!" He hollered, trying to be louder than the other screams in the room. Most people heard him as the soon hit the deck. As he neared him, Li-Chang turned his gun upon Tony and Ziva and fired once. He could wait no longer. McGee fired his gun three times at Li-Chang as he ran. All of them struck his chest.

He slowed his run as neared him. He heard the words of Tony and Ziva and ignored them. He kicked the gun a short distance away and reached down for a pulse. "He's dead!" McGee hollered. He glanced over and saw Gibbs' body lying on the floor some ten feet away. "Gibbs!" He shouted.

Gibbs was lying on the floor, very still. Blood pooled around the three bullet wounds in his chest. McGee reached down and placed a shaky hand on his neck. He felt nothing. He felt the warmth of a tear slipping down the side of his face. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"McGee?" Tony hollered across the room.

He turned to him and locked eyes with him He slowly shook his head.

* * *

McGee sat in a uncomfortable seat next to Abby. His arm was draped over her shoulders and her head lay on his shoulder. There was an impressive turnout for the funeral. There were hundreds of people there, if not more. McGee turned to the stage and watched Tony who was now standing behind the podium. He watched him clear his throat and begin his speech.

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_**Next is Gibbs' POV.**_

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	3. Gibbs' POV

_Shortest POV, but come on-he dies._

**Gibbs' POV**

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Gibbs was making small talk with a redhead woman he had met at the bar. He wasn't very concerned about the possible appearance of Li-Chang. He knew he'd show, the matter would just be when.

That time came sooner than he had expected, for he noticed Li-Chang standing about ten feet behind the woman he was talking to. He gave a slight nod to McGee as he passed.

Gibbs had watched as Tony steered Ziva out onto the dance floor. His momentary distraction kept him from reacting quickly enough to the gun Li-Chang had pulled out and aimed at the woman he was talking with. He was fast enough to spin her around and shove her out of the way as the shots went off.

He felt the three bullets hit his chest as he collapsed to the ground. And contrary to what Ducky would alter conclude; death was not instantaneous.

Gibbs was vaguely aware of what was going on around him for about a minute. He heard another shot being fired, and then three more from a different gun. He knew it had to be McGee because Ziva and Tony didn't have their weapons on them; they were there to keep their eyes on Li-Chang.

He was proud of McGee for his quick thinking in the situation. Before he closed his eyes he thought of what Tony would say in his speech at the funeral.

The world faded into utter and final darkness.

_

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_Next and finally Tony's POV._

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	4. Tony's POV

_This time, you get to know what's in it._

_Thanks for all the reviews, my lovely reviewers!_

_I think this is the deepest thing I have ever written….._

**Tony's POV**

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Tony thanked the bar tender as he walked off with two drinks in hand. He stood at the edge of the dance floor and waited for Ziva.

A few minutes later he noticed Ziva making his way across the floor. When she got to him he held out on of the glasses. "Do you think he will show?" She asked him.

"Probably, his patterns are very predictable."

"But he has already killed his target, what makes you think he will show up here?"

"Protecting his image."

Ziva nodded and sipped at her drink. His eye was caught by McGee who was making his way towards them. McGee held up his tray as he passed them and they set their glasses on it. He saw the nod and immediately started scanning the room.

He held his hand out to Ziva, which she slipped hers into. He led her out to the dance floor. "Eight o'clock." He whispered alerting Ziva to the location of Li-Chang.

He turned to face her. "Shall I have this dance?"

"Of course," she replied. Tony noticed her glare was still on Li-Chang. He spun her around and noticed her flash of annoyance when she lost the light of him. "Don't worry, you're not the only one watching." He saw her roll her eyes at him.

He was startled at the sound of three gunshots. He didn't notice the screams of the people of the room. He turned and saw Li-Chang holding a gun. Ziva broke free from his grip. He noticed Li-Chang turning towards them and he placed himself in front of Ziva without thinking and shoved her down to the side. Then he felt something hitting his shoulder.

He rolled off of Ziva when they hit the ground. Then he noticed the sound of more gunshots.

"Tony!" Ziva yelled.

"Ah, Ziva! Do you have to yell?" Tony mumbled.

"You've been shot!"

_No duh! "_Yeah, in the shoulder." He clipped. "Oww," he muttered as he sat up.

"He's dead!" McGee hollered across the room. _Who's dead? Li-Chang?_

"Good." Ziva started. "Wh-"

"Gibbs!" McGee shouted as he ran about ten feet to the left of where he was standing.

"McGee?" Tony called across the room.

McGee turned to Tony and locked eyes with him. He shook his head slowly.

Tony felt his heart sink. _Gibbs can't be dead. He can't be dead…_ He was momentarily distracted when their backup came running into the room accompanied by a medical team.

"Great timing." Tony muttered.

* * *

Tony sat up in his hospital bed thumbing though the book that sat in his lap. He was trying to distract himself from thinking and wasn't achieving it at all. A few minutes later he snapped the book shut and threw at the closet on the other side of the room. He was in the process of removing the IV from his arm when Ziva walked in the room.

"I figured you might be wanting these," she said as she held up a bag with, presumably, his clothes in them.

"Thanks," He muttered as he snagged them, "you mind telling them that I'm-"

"Already did."

* * *

Three days later

Tony paced back and forth in Gibbs' basement his free hand trailing along the boat as he passed. He hadn't even been back to his own house. He had Ziva drive him straight here and he hadn't left.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs startled him. He turned around and saw Director Vance coming down the stairs. "Director?"

"Agent DiNozzo."

"Anything I can help you with sir?" DiNozzo asked uneasily.

"I would like for you to say a few words, at the funeral."

Tony's head snapped up from the boat. "Me, Sir?"

"Yes," He walked towards the stairs. "See you in a few days."

* * *

Four Days Later

Tony stepped up to the podium. He stood behind it and fumbled with the strap of the sling on his arm. He glanced down before staring at the faces of those in the crowd in front of him.

The rows of seats were filled with people. Tony's wasn't, and yet still was surprised at the number of people in front of him. Gibbs had usually lived up to the second b in his name and that caused him a great amount of dislike. But he still managed to touch the hearts of many.

In the first row sat those closest to him. Ziva, McGee, Abby, Ducky, his father, Maddie Tyler, Fornell, Col. Mann, Mike Franks. The rows afterwards were filled with faces Tony didn't know and some he did. None were as important as those in the first row.

He cleared his throat and began his speech.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a great man, better than great. He had his way of knowing things that there was no way he could ever had know then, but yet he did. He always seemed to have an answer for everything. And as much as I knew this couldn't be true, it was.

"He had this way of bringing out the best in people, bringing them to their full potential. He had made a difference in people's lives, and not just because of the job we do and the work we achieve. But the biggest changes he brought about were of the lives of those on his team and those closest to him.

"When I started in this line of work I was an immature, unfocused, punk kid who didn't know what the hell he was doing. And I know, some of you'd argue I still don't."

Tony paused as a small ripple of laughter spread through the crowd.

"I slowly learned as I moved from city to city, but I never stayed more than two years in each place.

"Things changed when I started here at NCIS after a joint investigation with Gibbs and his partner. Now I've been here for almost eight years, all because of one man, who made a difference in me. He made a difference in all of us.

"He had a drive and passion to never let a case go cold or a team member to go unaided. He may have been an insufferable bastard at times, but deep down, he had the kindest and gentlest of hearts, that loved each member of his team so much he would have died for each and every single one of us if he could have. It was just a part of his core being. The type of being who would take a bullet for anyone, even a complete stranger, as he did a week ago.

"He could a take a bullet for us, but we weren't supposed to take one for him. That was his belief, that as team leader he was ultimately responsible for our lives and that our lives came before his, and that it was wrong if we died for him.

"When Special Agent Caitlin Todd died he was devastated. She was a member of our team several years ago. A terrorist was after Gibbs and she was in charge of protecting him. Right before she died, she had dived in front of a bullet to save Gibbs' life. We pulled her up and instead of the terrorist shooting Gibbs; he shot Kate, just to cause him pain.

"He was driven afterwards to find him even more so than he had been before. He was driven to the point of obsession until he finally got the chance to kill the bastard.

"It was that dedication he showed to all of us, whenever any of us were in danger, he would pursue whomever was behind it to hell and back. He made sure we were okay and that there was justice brought about.

"That strive for justice didn't just apply to his team either. During the years I have been working for Gibbs, I don't think he has let a case go cold once. He always made sure it was closed and that the guilty was charged.

"I owe a lot in my life to Gibbs, more than I could ever have returned. He was the father I never had, but always wanted.

"I don't know how we'll continue to work without him on the team. But I do know that we will do it with his spirit and drive in mind. It was the greatest honor I ever have had in my life to have worked with and known Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

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_**Fin**_

_**Hope I did well on the eulogy! **_

_**Please Review!**_


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